StormWatch: Greatest Fear
by Mantichorus
Summary: PG-13 due to bad language & violence. Tragedy due to MANY deaths... AU: Something is slowly depleting the Wildstorm Universe of its heroes... And Henry Bendix, the Weatherman, could be the key to the planet's salvation...


_A/N: What if Henry Bendix wasn't so crazy after all? This charts how things may have turned out- expect other WildStorm characters (including other titles) to make an appearance, along with a couple of my own…_

_Disclaimer: All the characters belong to WildStorm, who are owned by DC Comics, who are owned by AOL/Time Warner. I'll name my two characters when they're introduced…_

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**StormWatch: Greatest Fear.**

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It had happened quickly. The High had been the first to go. Henry Bendix, also known as the Weatherman, commander of the U.N. post-Human strike force known as StormWatch, had first discovered something was amiss on the daily scan.

"Sir, the daily scan of the Rockies has detected something… not quite right…"

"Give me visual." Bendix said in his sharp, clipped tone.

"Yes sir."

"Oh my… W-what could have the power…?" Bendix gasped as he saw John Cumberland, otherwise known as the High, torn apart, his eviscerated carcass slouching on his stone throne. In the back of his mind, Bendix knew what he had to do, but… it was at least a year too early for the mission he had had planned. No matter. He strode towards the Transfer Bay. 

*** * * * ***

"You. Go. Now." He commanded the tech in charge.

"Uh… Yes sir." The tech replied hesitantly.

"Computer. Bendix bolthole- numbered seven. Transport, and then purge records. NOW." His command was so clear, that it would have seemed to an observer that the computer itself had hurried more than usual to comply. 

*** * * * ***

"Things… have taken a turn for the worst. I had not planned on activating you as a team for another year, possibly two." Weatherman sighed and turned to the seven specially designed post-humans, who had just finished donning their costumes. Well… six of them had. The seventh did not have a costume. "There is no turning back now. By accepting these costumes, you have forfeited all rights to your former lives…"

"Does that include **_him _**as well?" one of the women asked, jerking her thumb at her costume-less colleague. 

"Yes." Weatherman snarled through gritted teeth. "Now, speak your codenames into this device and you will all become StormWatch officers; for better or for worse. And, for what it's worth… I'm proud of you all."

"Impetus."

"Amaze."

"Lamplight."

"Stalker."

"Crow Jane."

"The Midnighter."

"Apollo."

"Good. Now, I must return to SkyWatch for a while. I… cannot guarantee than I shall be coming back here. If you do not hear from me in 24 hours, consider me **_dead_**." the Weatherman gravely intoned. "Apollo?"

"Sir?"

"Here," Weatherman said, handing an envelope over to the other man. "This contains plans for what to do in the event of my death. **_You_** are the team leader. Understood?"

"… Yes sir."

"Good. Very well, I shall now return to SkyWatch, and shall attempt to return in… 12 hours. Good luck to us all."  

*** * * * ***

Winter looked up as he heard the Transfer Bay hum into life. His muscles tensed, when… "Weatherman! Thank God!"

Bendix's eyes widened as he saw the state of the ex-Spetsnaz soldier. "Nikolas… What the hell happened to you?" The energy redirector was a bloody mess, with blood pouring out of his nose, in copious amounts.

"Some… people have attacked SkyWatch… Ugh… I was planning on trying to use the Transfer Bays to evict them, when one attacked me… He must have thought I was dead, because when I regained consciousness a few minutes ago… There was no-one else here…"

"Okay, Winter. I'm going to transfer you to a secret place… A little insurance I've had done, in case something like this happened. There are seven post-humans there, all trained StormWatch officers… They should welcome you, maybe even give you command due to your greater combat experience…"

"N-no. I'm fine…" Winter began, when Bendix cut him off by spraying sleeping gas into his face.

"I'm sorry, Winter, but I need someone like you there. Please understand." Bendix said as he laid Nikolas Andreyivitch Kamarov on the Transfer Bay's pad. 

*** * * * ***

_A/N: Well, the next chapter is underway. It's a little shorter in story, but I'll be ironing out some of the continuity questions one of my friends asked, while watching me type. Take your guess at who's causing the destruction. All I'll say is that it is some WildStorm characters… And NOT demonites! ^_^_

_Anyway, if any of you want to submit some characters, send their names and a short bio to my e-mail address. Kindly read and review, while all flames will be fed to my good friend Nikolas…_

P.S. I've sorted the problem out! Now, I'd like two or three reviews, just so I know there are enough people interested in this, before I carry it on…


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